Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1887-12-22
BUILDING PIANOS.
SOME CURIOUS FACTS REGARclNG
Their MANUFACTURE AND SALE.

Comparatively Few Piano Factories Can
Justly Claim to Make Their Own In
struments-Fanciful Names-Borrowins
a Good ScaIe-Various liuccessfuI Tricks.
Pianofortes are no longer manufactured,
but are built. Only two or three of the hum
dreds of piano factories in this country can
justly claim TO make their instruments from
beginning to finish. Large establishments
devoted to the manufacture of some particu-
lar portions of the instrument have sprung
up of late, and have 50 revolutionized the art
of piano making that in some shops not sim
gle part of the completed instrument is made
in the factory.
There are probably dozen places in New
York and vicinity devoted exclusively to the
making of cases. \ like number make the
beautiful and delicate piece of mechanism
known as the action, and as many fOundries
cast the heavy iron plates which sustain the
enormous strain of the strings. There are
also manufacturers of sounding boards, and
of wrest planlls, into which the tuning pins
are set; carvers of legs, Tyres and trusses; i'm
porters of felts and cloths, ,winders of wrapped
strings for the lower notes, and drawers of
thinner wires for the upper notes.
Several large houses make a speciality of
pianoforte hardware, and half dozen cut
ters of ivory supply complete keyboards with
black keys of ebony and white keys of me-
dunn quality of ivory. Other establishments
make keys Of various compositions, princi-
pally of cellulOid. and even the stencil plates
for the name are often furnished by the var
nish dealer Thus, nothing remains TO be
made at the factory but the name, and that
is sometimes of the most adroit workman
ship.
One of the largest buildings on the west
side of this city, with a capacity of turning
out the enormous numser of sixty to seventy
five completed instruments week, makes no
part of the piano but the name, and quite
frequently even that is furnished to them by
the dealer who buys largely enough to JUS
tify having his own name put on as the
maker Sometimes a name is manufactured
having so close resemblance to that of some
one of the best known makers as to mislead
the unwary.
UNDER FANCIFUL NAMES.
Besides these, dozens of names, purely
fanciful, are used by makers whose reputa-
ton will not justify demanding high price
for pianos bearing their own name 1t is
not, however, to be inferred that all instru-
mentS built and put together like blocks in
puzzle are necessarily inferior
The quality of a pianoforte depends upon
two essentials-the scale, and the care with
which it is constructed and finished. Tho
scale is matter of scientific accuracy in
form, balance and proportions of the iron
frame over which the strings are stretched,
and its adjustment to the sounding board
This is generally most readily arrived at by
borrowing from some leading maker. A first
class piano is secured and taken to pieces, the
frame or scale is copied, often by making a
casting from the original plate, and the new
manufacture is equipped with successful
scale, without experiencing any of the delay
and disappointment incident to experiments
in search of the new and the beautiful
The casemaker is next visited, and it is
found that a moderate price will buy a case
suitable for high class instrument, and one
less elaborate, made of lighter material, can
be had for surprisingly small sum. While
the case, which is made of white wood and
ash, veneered with something more expen-
sive, is getting its first coat of the stain
which is to turn it into rosewood, ebony or
cherry, the skilled workmen are putting the
frame and sounding board together. The
stringing is then done the pins being driven
into place with hammer instead of being
carefully screwed in as in the old fashioned
days of conscientious work and high prices.
While this is in hand the case is glued to-
gether, having received its several coats of
varnish.
More rosewood pianos are made than of all
the other sorts combined; yet few are really
veneered with rosewood nowadays This is
because it IS seldom that varnish will not
soon show small chirks and cracks on this
veneer, and, as q very close imitation can-be
produced by staining, it is usual to veneer
the cases with mahogany or haywood or
sometimes with cherry, and then transform
it into rosewood or ebony as preferred. No
real ebony is ever used for similar reasons,
and also because large pieces Of ebony veneer
cannot be had.
THE FINISHING TOUCHES.
After the stain comes the vanishing. This
IS frequently done by contract, the varnish
foreman receiving a stated price for each in
strurnent finished, hiring his own assistants
and buying the varnish himself. After the
case has joined company with the iron frame
and sounding board, the action is placed in
position and the wires get the first rough
tuning. If the piano is to have any soul, the
tone regulator now proceeds to develop it by
llis skill But if the price at which it is to be
sold does not Justify such luxuries as pure,
round and even tone, and a crisp, responsive
touch, the soul makers responsibilities are
not exacting. Fly finishing is done last
This includes putting on lock and hinges,
and the instrument is then ready for sale.
1t is popularity believed that no plain piano,
however fine, can be made to cost the manu-
facturer more than $500, and the fact that
some of the cheapest are wholesaled at less
than $50 seems to justify that impression.
1t is thus matter of comment that in nearly
all catalogues the old extravagant prices are
quoted, although it is well known that in al
most every case the list price is utterly dis
regarded in making a sale.
Only one house of any repute has had the
courage to do away with the long price sys-
tenn, and to face the inference that reduction
indicates a cheapening Of quality. One great
establishment vigorously holds to the high
list throughout, giving only moderate dis
count even at wholesale, but its patrons seem
willing to pay the prices, and a reduction or
modification would probably result in a loss
of caste.
All the piano makers, however, do not
grow rich. Long credits and enormous bills,
money borrowed, and notes discounted at
ruinous rates work havoc among these as
with other classes of business men. And
without copious advertising piano maker
might as well close his doors. A piano can
not be sold at a fair price unless it is already
favorably known. 1t requires long head as